Mississippi State Booster Accused Of Paying Players

A Mississippi State booster has been accused of paying five or six athletes from the school and using illegal benefits to lure recruits to the college.

The allegations surfaced Tuesday, when summer league football coach Byron De’Vinner said he watched the Mississippi State booster give money to freshman defensive back Will Redmond, ESPN reported. De’Vinner later told ESPN that he saw the same booster, Robert Denton Herring, give money to a handful of other players, including junior defensive lineman Denico Autry.

“He (Herring) told me he provided the benefits,” De’Vinner said. “He told me he helped get Denico there. Robert Denton Herring loves State. And he was going to do whatever he could to help State.”

Mississippi State coaches have also been implicated in the potential scandal. De’Vinner said Redmond told him that wide receiver coach Angelo Mirando introduced him to Herring, who then gave cash and clothes to the player.

De’Vinner said the Mississippi State booster even tried to get him involved in the plot by luring recruits from Georgia and LSU to Mississippi State, but De’Vinner declined.

De’Vinner said:

“Denton was trying his hardest to get Frank Herron, a 2013 recruit, to come to Mississippi State. He asked me to call his mom and say if he committed to State he could get her a better job. He also told me if Brandon Hill, who did not qualify at Alabama, committed to State, he could get him eligible because of a Mississippi State booster that was a counselor in his school. It comes back to pimping kids. And I wouldn’t do it.”

Mirando, who said that he is aware of the allegations but would not comment, resigned form the team on August 19 for “unforeseen personal issues.”

Mirando resigned Aug. 19, citing “unforeseen personal issues.”

The school had already disassociated with Herring after documents surfaced August 28 that a Mississippi State booster was found to have “impermissible contact” with a recruit and may have broken other NCAA rules.

Despite breaking connections with the Mississippi State booster, the damage may already be done. A Yahoo! Sports report detailing the alleged violations has tarnished the college, and more sanctions from the NCAA could be looming.